Napoli, Hens have shepherded big changes Downtown over decade

It’s hard for Joe Napoli to stick to sports when discussing the past 10 years.

Mud Hens General Manager Joe Napoli, photographed at Fifth Third Field for Toledo Free Press in June 2005. TOLEDO FREE PRESS FILE PHOTO

As general manager of the Toledo Mud Hens, Toledo Free Press placed Napoli atop its list of the “25 most influential people in Toledo sports” in 2005. He’s arguably more influential now, serving as president and general manager for both the Hens and Toledo Walleye.

By spearheading the Mud Hens’ move Downtown prior to the 2002 season, he’s also had a direct impact on revitalizing the center of the city.

“Nope, not much going on,” Napoli joked about the past decade from the fifth-floor executive office space at Fifth Third Field.

Looking out the window overlooking the southeast corner of the ballpark, Napoli said the stadium has exceeded all expectations he had when the relocation process from Ned Skeldon Stadium in Maumee began at the turn of the century.

“I think we had established some pretty high standards, but it’s really gone beyond that,” he said. “It’s almost fairy tale-like when you really think about what we hoped would happen and what has happened — it’s even better. You take a look at the Warehouse District: $12 million in annual payroll, up from virtually nothing. Seventy new businesses of all varieties. … Those are the things that we hoped would happen, and that they have happened is very gratifying.”

Napoli realizes the Mud Hens and Walleye are staples in the community, and he doesn’t plan on letting that change.

“Our mission is to be affordable, family-oriented and deliver what we internally call a fanatical experience,” he said. “So as long as we keep delivering on the mission and treat all of our fans like they’re our guests, I think we’ll always be one of those institutions or attractions in town that people point to with pride. But we don’t ever rest on that, because it’s easy to take your fans for granted, and we’ve seen other organizations do that. Once you do that, it’s just going to be a recipe for disaster.

“We always try to reinvent or refresh the experience,” he said.

The Hensville project is one way Napoli is attempting to do just that.

The effort to rehabilitate three Warehouse District buildings into dining, retail and office space recently received nearly $4 million in Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credits from the Ohio Development Services Agency. The project has an estimated cost of $18.8 million.

Hensville is part of the Mud Hens’ commitment to refreshing the game experience for fans, Napoli said.

“It’s going to remind people of Wrigleyville,” he said. “There will be some dining options, there will be some shopping options, there will be rooftop decks, just like across the street at Wrigley [Field]. We’re also adding a park just beyond right field wall, with an acre of open space, for concerts, festivals and theater in the park — all of these things that encourage social interaction.

“The goal is to encourage even more people to come Downtown,” Napoli said. “Between the two franchises, we bring about 750,000 people a year Downtown. We want to raise that to between 850,000 and 900,000 with Hensville.”

A decade ago, Napoli began to see his dream of revitalizing Downtown through the Mud Hens come to fruition.

“We really positioned the team and the location of Fifth Third Field for success,” he said. “We really felt like we had the right location. We thought that being part of the Warehouse District was important. Hindsight being 20/20, when you look at other communities that have had success at the major league or the minor league level, it’s because the adjacent properties and real estate were the type that could be renovated and rehabbed successfully.

“So when you look at the Warehouse District and even the Business District in Downtown, it’s ripe for redevelopment. We have the good structure — we just needed a catalytic event.”

The Mud Hens were that event.

Looking to the future, Napoli sees Downtown continuing to grow. A couple of blocks to the north of Fifth Third Field, development around Huntington Center has been slower than anticipated. He blames that on bad timing.

“The only thing Huntington Center suffered from originally was bad timing, going into the recession,” he said. “But with ProMedica coming in two blocks away, I think we’re going to see a lot of things happen around that building that we thought would have happened by now.”

With these projects, along with Downtown riverfront property to become the next Toledo Metropark, investment in the area is approaching $200 million.

“When we fast-forward 10 more years, and we look back, I think we’ll be talking about how ProMedica’s move to Downtown was the tipping point,” Napoli said. “The last 10 years have been wonderful. I think the next 10 years are going to be even better.”

As for his placement on that Toledo Free Press Top 25 list?

Napoli takes the humble approach, laughing when he thinks back on the designation. Others on the list included Tom Amstutz, Jimmy Jackson, Stan Joplin, Jamie Farr, Christine Brennan and Bruce Gradkowski.

“It’s flattering, but when you go through that list, there are a whole bunch of men and women on that list that could be No. 1,” he said.

“I have always appreciated the fact that they picked me to top the list, but I never really thought that it was deserved, because in order to be successful, you have to have so many people involved that do things very well. We’ve been very fortunate that we’ve been surrounded by good people. Not only internally, but everyone that’s supported the team, from local government to sponsors and season ticket holders and the like.”

It seems clear the New York native has no plans to leave Toledo any time soon. He smiles as he reflects on why he enjoys living here.

“When you think about living an active life, you can do that in Toledo,” he said. “What I mean by that is you can go to work, and love your job and enjoy your time at work. You can be home in 10-15 minutes and participate in the lives of your family [members]. When you look at recreation, you’ve got a river, a lake, a parks system that’s amazing, all the attractions. And you have that all wrapped up in a midsized community full of very nice people.”

Pounds: Won not done

Kudos to Toledo City Council for approving — by an overwhelming majority — ProMedica’s proposal to move its headquarters Downtown.

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With the 11-1 vote Jan. 20, the project has cleared perhaps its biggest hurdle, but much more work remains. There is still more discussion to be had, more agreements to hammer out. Now is the time to keep this momentum and spirit of cooperation moving forward.

Next, ProMedica and the city must agree on a development contract, expected by April. Judging by issues brought up at recent Council committee meetings, topics likely to be considered include whether and what kind of minority inclusion, park restoration and grounds maintenance provisions might be added.

The main players may be busy moving forward, but some opponents are still looking back. The sticking point for many green space advocates is ProMedica’s plan to build a six-story parking garage on part of Promenade Park, and the vote has quieted but not ceased calls for alternate parking options. Many, including Judge James G. Carr, aren’t convinced ProMedica fully considered other options. There’s talk from others of collecting signatures to try and put the issue to a vote.

After the Jan. 20 meeting, Robin Whitney, ProMedica’s vice president of property acquisition and development, told Toledo Free Press Editor in Chief Sarah Ottney that she hasn’t given up hope of convincing skeptics.

“I hope one day when we get this project done they’re going to like it,” she said. “That’s really still my goal. I think we’re going to be improving the park and really making it an amenity and I believe that we can still do that. I haven’t given up hope that I can get them converted and be supportive of what we’re doing.”

Some may never accept the loss of green space, particularly to a parking garage. But ProMedica would be wise to take the time to fully and transparently address those lingering concerns and try to put those questions to rest. As Carr said during last week’s Council committee meeting: “Persuade me.”

On the flip side, I haven’t seen this many business and community leaders united in excited over a development in a long time. Mud Hens/Walleye President and CEO Joe Napoli, Fifth Third Bank President Robert LaClair, Steve Cavanaugh of HCR ManorCare and Richard Hylant of Hylant Group are just a few of the longtime Downtown stakeholders who testified to Council that the deal was the most exciting thing they’d seen come along in decades.

Officials with the Downtown Toledo Improvement District and Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce both report an uptick in interest in other Downtown properties. “We keep hearing it will be a trickle-down effect when they move Downtown; I really think it’s going to be a roaring cascade effect,” Cindy Kerr, executive director of the Downtown Toledo Improvement District, told Ottney. “I already see the needle moving.”

After their Sugar Bowl victory, Ohio State players donned T-shirts stating “Won not done,” claiming laurels for the accomplishment while also acknowledging their next challenge: the title game. Millions of Buckeye fans watched that game through their fingers as OSU seemed determined to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory with a series of fumbles.

Let’s not fumble now.

Thomas F. Pounds is president and publisher of Toledo Free Press. He can be reached at tpounds@toledofreepress.com.

Ten-day Walleye Winterfest kicks off with Fanfest

That’s what Joe Napoli, president and general manager of the Toledo Mud Hens and Toledo Walleye, said during a news conference Dec. 26 announcing the official start of the 10-day bash.

Visitors of Fanfest, part of Toledo Walleye Winterfest, take some shots Dec. 26. Toledo Free Press Photo by Matt Liasse

Walleye player Cody Lampl said he hopes the event will spark a tradition in Toledo.

“We’re very excited to bring the events downtown,” Lampl said. “It’s very exciting for the community.”

Napoli discussed some of the activities taking place during Winterfest, beginning with the Walleye sled hockey game versus Perrysburg High School minutes after the news conference.

Winterfest will take place through Jan. 4 and will feature activities at both Fifth Third Field and Huntington Center.

The Walleye will play in two outdoor games at the baseball stadium, the first of which will be the first outdoor game in ECHL history: the Walleye host the Kalamazoo Wings at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 27, followed by fireworks, a jersey auction and community open skate. The Walleye will also play the Fort Wayne Komets at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 3.

College and high school hockey teams will play throughout the 10 days. The Harlem Globetrotters will also pay a visit to the Huntington Center at 2 p.m. Dec. 28. Community skates will be hosted from 1-4:30 p.m. Dec. 28, 3:30 p.m. to 1:15 a.m. Dec. 29 and post-game Jan. 3.

Other events include the Walleye Winter Brewfest and the Winterfest New Year’s Eve Party at 8:30 p.m. Dec. 31.

The third-inning hit over the left-field fence against Indianapolis pitcher Jake Brigham surpassed Ollie Carnegie’s former record of 258 homers. Carnegie played for the Buffalo Bisons from 1931-41 and in 1945. Hessman tied Carnegie’s record on May 30 against Charlotte.

Hessman now sits at 404 career minor league home runs, good for third on the American minor league home run list. Buzz Arlett is atop that list with 432 homers.

The Mud Hens won, beating the Indians 9-1 at Victory Field.

Hessman, 36, donned a Toledo uniform again this season after playing five seasons with the team 2005-09, including as an integral part of Toledo’s 2005-06 championship squads.

“When you look at Mike Hessman and you look at his career and you look again at how hardworking he is, how steady he is, how he’s a great presence in the locker room, those all add up to good things,” Mud Hens President and General Manager Joe Napoli told Toledo Free Press earlier this season.

Already this season, Hessman has broken Toledo records for all-time RBI (406), and the modern-era Toledo records for hits (524), doubles (113) and runs (358), according to information provided by the Mud Hens. His 155 home runs in a Toledo uniform are also a Mud Hens record. Ryan Raburn is second on that list with 67 home runs.

Hessman was drafted in 1996 and made his major league debut with the Atlanta Braves on Aug. 22, 2003, where he hit a pinch hit home run against the New York Mets’ Mike Stanton.

“It was awesome,” Hessman told Toledo Free Press earlier this year. “It’s one of those memories that you’ll never forget.”

From tee-ball games and backyard catch with his dad to the major leagues, Hessman said it’s the “love of the game” that keeps him coming back.

“I remember playing tee-ball on our little league fields, hitting off the tee, catching line drives from other players and just playing catch with my dad out in the backyard or going over to the school yard an playing catch with him.

“It’s all I’ve ever done. It’s what I’ve been doing ever since I got out of high school,” Hessman said. “I love coming to the field and taking ground balls and running around the field. Hanging out in the clubhouse. The fun things that come along with it.”

Hessman said he tends to be quiet, but hopes younger players know they can come to him for advice.

“I don’t say a lot. It’s more hopefully lead by example, just going out my business, preparing myself the right way,” Hessman said. “If they have questions, anything I could pass on to them as far as anything that will help them get to the next level and stay at the next level, I kind of look for opportunities now to help. Just give them my take on it because I’ve been around it and seen some things. I can give a different perspective on it maybe that might help them out.”

But, he’s quick to add, his focus on helping others doesn’t mean he’s not looking for ticket back to the big leagues himself.

“Obviously we play the game to get back to the major leagues,” Hessman said. “We’re still playing and trying to perform well to get that opportunity again, so if the opportunity becomes available, absolutely that’s what we’re looking for. But with that being said, you still have to come to work here every day with a good attitude and a right perspective of doing what needs to be done to get to that next level –and if I can be here as an assist to help some of those other guys who are right on the door of getting up there then I’d love to help out anyway I can.”

Assistant coach Dan Watson will take over as interim head coach for the remainder of the season. A new assistant coach has not been named.

The Walleye have struggled this season, compiling an overall record of 16-31-3. Vitucci has been head coach of the Walleye since the franchise started in 2009. He also coached the Toledo Storm from 2003-07.

“We’ve struggled with finding the right path to get this ship going in the right direction,” Vitucci said during a news conference at Huntington Center on Feb. 25.

“It was my decision,” he said. “A different voice, a different philosophy is something certainly that might be a good thing right now. I care deeply about this organization and the success of it and if it means stepping down for the best of it I was more than willing to do that.”

Vitucci’s all-time coaching record is 289-262-53. His record with the Walleye is 149-158-32.

Vitucci said he has been discussing the possibility for about two weeks with Walleye president and general manager Joe Napoli, who supported Vitucci’s decision.

“Nick is the type of guy [who] when he says, ‘I put the organization first,’ he means that,” Napoli said.

“It’s not an easy answer because there are so many things that contribute to success or failure,” Napoli said. “Nick will shoulder the blame, [but] the fact of the matter is when you look at the body of work, we’ve all contributed to that.”

The two will be discussing during the next few months what Vitucci’s new role with the team will be, Napoli said.

“We’re going to take some time and take a step back,” Napoli said. “Nick has a long list of concepts and ideas that we think could work and we’re going to take a look at those. … What we will do over the next I’d say 60 to 90 days is firm up with Nick’s responsibilities will be going forward.”

The midseason change allows Watson the chance to demonstrate what he’s capable of while also giving the team an appropriate window to find a replacement in time for recruiting and preparing for next season, said Napoli, who said he started receiving resumes almost immediately after the change was announced.

“This is a highly desirable position in the ECHL,” Napoli said.

Dan Watson

Watson said he is “absolutely” ready to take on the role as interim head coach.

“Some coaches are satisfied with being assistants for their entire career. I am not,” Watson said. “I’m ready to dive in headfirst and really show the organization and the players for this 21-game tryout what I’m all about.”

Vitucci said Watson is “more than prepared” for the job.

“Dan’s got a great hockey mind,” Vitucci said. “Dan has done more work in his role than I guarantee you any other hockey assistant coach has done. He’s studied the game, he studies our team, he studies all the opposition, he studies the NHL, he studies everything. I wasn’t kidding when I [said I] think he’s studied more than an entire student body. Now this is an opportunity for him to step forward and be the guy.

“It’s going to be a 21-game learning experience for him too,” Vitucci said. “How he handles situations, how he handles the media, how he handles the referees, how he handles the good and the bad in the locker room. But those are things that you have to experience to be able to really understand it and get a hold of it so this is a great opportunity for him to show his personality that he has — and it’s a demanding one. He’s a stern person so he’s going to expect the most out of the players.”

Watson said every coach has a different philosophy and he plans to tweak a few things. One statistic he’d like to turn around is the team’s position as worst in the league for giving up goals.

“I was a defenseman … so we’re going to be a defensive team,” Watson said. “I want to play fast and make sure we have good puck control, making sure we have guys driving hard to the net. I want to be a team when other teams come in here or we’re on the road, we’re a tough team to play against, every single night.”

Watson, a native of Glencoe, Ontario, played pro hockey for seven seasons. He ended his playing career in Toledo with the Storm in 2006-07, where he played for Vitucci. He has coached under him with the Walleye since the team’s inaugural 2009-10 season.

“Nick’s a player’s coach,” Watson said. “He knows kind of when to push buttons, when to relax. He’s a people person. He does a great job out in the public, with interviews and just talking to people so I think I’ve developed that type of skill over the past five years as well. And just learning to be professional and give it your all every single day. That’s what he does, every day when he walks out of that office, he’s ready to go and that’s something I’ve learned from him.”

The Walleye players were informed of the coaching change at their morning practice Feb. 25 at Tam-O-Shanter in Sylvania.

“Initially when you hear it you’re shocked because it’s your coach that you’ve had a relationship with, he recruited you to come here, he’s been your coach for 51 games, so I think the initial [reaction] was shock, but I think they’re excited too,” Watson said. “I’ve had great relationships with them all year long.”

Nick Vitucci. Toledo Free Press Photo by Michael Nemeth.

Vitucci said he made the announcement, thanked the players for their efforts and met one-on-one with a few before leaving Watson to run practice.

“I got out of there right away because it’s his team right now and he needs to have the opportunity to put his fingerprints on it,” Vitucci said.

Watson said he thought the first practice went well.

“It was a good start, high energy, good pace,” he said.

Vitucci admitted his frustration level this season has been “off the charts” as roster changes, particularly call-ups, hampered the team’s ability to establish good rhythm on the ice.

“It wears on you consistently,” Vitucci said. “There’s no worse feeling in the world [than] coming into a three-game set of games at home where you want to play well in front of your loyal and faithful fans [but] you just know in the back of your mind maybe we’re not good enough right now because of call-ups and injuries and all that.

“Everybody who knows hockey knows it’s a game of read and react, it’s the units of five, it’s the chemistry that’s developed, knowing where your teammate is or your D partner is,” Vitucci said. “We just really haven’t given ourselves a chance to really dig into that because it’s almost like wear your nametag to the rink every day. … We played so well [a few weeks ago] because guys were actually together for a couple weeks and you had your same linemate for a few weeks. That’s unfortunately been a rarity here.”

Walleye players can be called up by team affiliates Detroit Red Wings or Chicago Blackhawks, but also by any American League Hockey (AHL) team, Vitucci said. Toledo’s geographical location in proximity to many AHL teams makes it convenient for those teams to call up Walleye players.

“It’s a challenging environment to be successful in,” said Napoli, who estimated there were 80 roster moves by mid-season. “But that’s not to say other franchises don’t overcome that. This is an opportunity for us to do some self-reflection.”

Napoli also hinted at more changes, saying the team will be “making some determinations” regarding its two NHL affiliates but declined to comment further.

“We’re not prepared to make comments on that today because that hasn’t been fully fleshed out,” he said.

Vitucci said it was fulfilling to help start a new team and that he’s proud of the professionalism he’s brought to the Walleye during his tenure as head coach.

“I treated players like pros and they felt like pros every day they were here and honestly I think that’s something I’m most proud of,” Vitucci said.

“I’m really excited with what lies ahead for me. I can’t tell you how excited I am,” Vitucci said. “When we came to this decision and we knew we were going with Dan now the rest of the way, obviously it was with a heavy heart because I’ve done this for a long, long time, but over the last four to five days the heart’s gotten a lot lighter and the excitement level’s gotten a lot higher. I’m really looking forward to the challenges that I have ahead and I’m going to dive into it the same way I’ve done for the past 12 years in the coaching industry.”

In the meantime, Vitucci said he will help Watson any way he can. He also plans to be on the road recruiting and scouting for next season.

“What I’m going to do right now is give him every opportunity to succeed,” Vitucci said. “Whether that’s roster-wise, players that he wants in here, the types of players that he wants in, I’m going to go out and get those for him.”

Napoli said he’s confident the team will be able to fix any issues.

“If there’s a formula out there that works, we’ll figure it out. There’s no doubt in my mind,” Napoli said. “You create your own success out of adversity. You take opportunities like this [and] you examine them for what they are. None of us have been successful over the course of our lives without having to face something like this. It only makes you stronger, only makes you better. When you look at organizations that do extremely well, they take opportunities like this and they use it as a catalyst and that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”

The next game will be against the Greenville Road Warriors at 7:15 p.m. March 1 at the Huntington Center.

Vitucci steps down as Walleye head coach

Toledo Walleye head coach Nick Vitucci will step down as head coach of the hockey team, but will stay within the organization, the team announced Feb. 25.

Walleye assistant coach Dan Watson will take over as head coach for the remainder of the season.

“I have enjoyed my time coaching the Walleye,” Vitucci said in a news release. “It has been extremely fulfilling to start a new team and to mentor young hockey players who have a passion for the game, but I feel that it’s time for some new leadership and a new approach. This will always be a highlight in my career.”

Vitucci has been coach of the Walleye for almost five years.

“Nick has been a valuable team builder, mentor and colleague,” Toledo Walleye President and General Manager Joe Napoli said in the release. “I have been honored to work with him as head coach in developing the Toledo Walleye. But he’s ready to try other options and I – we – support him in his decision. Nick’s decision to make this move now, gives us the appropriate window to find a coaching replacement in time for recruiting and preparing for next season.

“I am happy to say that he will remain with the Walleye organization,” Napoli said. “His future role, which is yet to be finalized, will capitalize on his nearly 25 years of professional hockey experience.”

Larry Parrish returns as Mud Hens manager

Toledo’s all-time winningest skipper was named manager of the team for the upcoming season.

He replaces Phil Nevin, who managed the Mud Hens for the past three seasons. The Tigers announced on Aug. 31 Nevin’s contract would not be renewed.

Larry Parrish. Photo courtesy Toledo Mud Hens

Parrish, who most recently managed the Single-A West Michigan Whitecaps, led the Mud Hens to back-to-back International League championships in 2005 and 2006. He was named the International League Manager of the Year in 2005 and was inducted into the International League Hall of Fame last season.

Toledo Mud Hens President and General Manager Joe Napoli said in a news release he is thrilled to have Parrish back.

“As a manager, he’s a great teacher and I know we’ll see improvement in player development,” Napoli said. “For our fans, he’s always been a favorite. They will be glad to welcome him back.”

Parrish managed the Mud Hens from 1994-1998, 2003-2006 and 2008 and is the franchise’s all-time winningest skipper. He also managed the Detroit Tigers for one full season.

During his playing career, the Florida native saw action in nearly 1,900 major league games. He retired from playing in 1990 and joined the Detroit Tigers organization as a full-time coach.

Other staffing changes

A.J. Sager, who has been pitching coach for the past six seasons, will leave the Mud Hens. He was promoted to Detroit’s roving pitching coordinator.

“It’s been a pleasure having AJ in Toledo,” Napoli said in the release. “But we’re excited for him and his family and his new role and responsibilities within the Tigers organization, and the best part is we’ll still have the benefit of him coming to Toledo.”

Al Nipper, who pitched seven seasons in the majors and has been with the Tigers the past two years, will replace Sager as pitching coach.

Athletic trainer Matt Rankin is also leaving Toledo to join the Tigers major league staff as assistant athletic trainer. His replacement has not yet been named.

Hitting Coach Leon “Bull” Durham will return for his 14th season with the Mud Hens.

ProMedica partnership with Miracle League is big hit

For Schyler Young, the 13-year-old daughter of Scott and Stacey Young, life is a wonderful adventure.

Schyler is a huge Mud Hens fan, and although she is developmentally and cognitively delayed with vision and hearing problems, nothing stands in the way of her rooting for the Hens.

“She can sit right up in front of the TV, with her face to the screen, and she can listen to the whole game,” her father said. “It makes her happy. It’s a bright light in her life.”

And thanks to the Miracle League of Northwest Ohio, Schyler also enjoys playing baseball. Schyler is one of 70-plus special needs children who play an eight-week season at a baseball field about 500 yards behind Northwood Fire Department Station No. 1 in Northwood.

Take Me Out to the Ball Park

Schyler’s baseball season was celebrated a few weeks ago when, on April 26, ProMedica hosted its fourth annual sports night, “Take Me Out to the Ball Park.”

At the evening fundraiser attended by an estimated 270 people, former Detroit Tigers left fielder Willie Horton spoke about his life and the role baseball played in his development.

“He talked about our organization a little bit and how worthwhile a project he thought it was,” said Jeff Barton, Miracle League of Northwest Ohio president. “He knows the role baseball played in his life. He knows the type of development sports plays in a child’s life.”

Healthy lifelong development is important to ProMedica and the Miracle League organizations, said Janet Krzyminski, executive director of the Wildwood Orthopedic and Spine Hospital Foundation.

From left, Jim Murray, member of ProMedica Board of Trustees; Penny Staelin, wife of Stephen H. Staelin, chairman of ProMedica Board of Trustees; Willie Horton, former Detroit Tigers left fielder; Joe Napoli, Mud Hens president/general manager; and Larry C. Peterson, vice chairman of ProMedica Board of Trustees, at the April 26 ‘Take Me Out to the Ball Park’ event.

One of ProMedica’s goals with the fundraiser was to “find a partner charity that met our mission, which is to promote health and well-being,” Krzyminski said. “[Our support of the Miracle League of Northwest Ohio] is not a one-time thing. We have made a commitment to work with the children who are served by the Miracle League.

“Throughout the year, our employees will volunteer their time. This partnership helps our philanthropic mission, which is to promote volunteerism among our employees.”

The Miracle League

The Miracle League of Northwest Ohio was established in 2005, when Barton was moved by the birth of his and his wife Lisa’s first child, Vincent, 6.

At that time, Barton was working at a home for adults with mental retardation, where he said he witnessed the frustration of the parents of special needs adults who didn’t have many extracurricular activities in which they could participate.

“I knew many of them growing up were never a part of a team, never played sports because they never had that opportunity,” Barton said. “So when my son was born, a healthy, typical kid, I started to think, ‘What if he was special needs?’ I would want him to have something to participate in, and one of those things I thought I’d want him to be involved in is baseball. It’s something I grew up with.

“When you have a special needs child, it’s almost like having a full-time job in itself, just in the care of that child. I didn’t think that just because I didn’t have a special needs child should prevent me from moving forward with this idea.

Barton convinced his wife and some of their friends to join him in the project.

“I had the time to pursue something like this,” Barton said. “Many of my friends who have special needs children say they would have done this a long time ago if they just had the time to devote to it.

“And in many cases, they simply don’t. My wife and I were blessed with two healthy boys, and so we decided to do something for kids that want to play baseball that may not have the opportunity to do so.”

The children in the program come from the Greater Toledo area, Oak Harbor, Findlay, Tiffin and Southeast Michigan. The special needs children in the program have both physical and cognitive disabilities.

“Special needs can be a broad term,” Barton said. “What I tell people is, ‘Hey, if they’re, for whatever reason, not being included in typical leagues in their hometowns, they can come to the Miracle League and play. We don’t exclude anybody.”

Participation in the baseball league is not limited to any one group of people. Barton’s children also play in the Miracle League.

“I think it’s important for them to grow up around people that are different or are perceived to be different,” Barton said. “It’s good for them. They have a blast doing it anyway, so it’s a league for everybody. Inclusion is a big message with our league.”

Scott Young said he appreciates the volunteers who work with his daughter, especially baseball players from high schools like St. John’s Jesuit who volunteer their time and talents.

Other volunteers involve themselves in fundraisers like the 5K run/walk, which generates about $4,000 a year, and the golf outing, scheduled for June 8, which raises around $10,000 a year.

Although fundraising is an important activity of the Miracle League, the organization has been able to operate on a budget of just under $10,000 a year.

Barton said it’s most important to focus on the special needs children.

“It’s just about being a kid. A lot of kids grow up wanting to play sports, wanting to be included, wanting to be seen for their abilities. And that’s what this league allows them to do,” he said. “Rather than for these kids to be seen for their disabilities or their special needs, this league is a chance for them to come out and show people what they can do, and for a lot of them, it’s a thrill.

“What I tell people is, ‘Just remember what it’s like when you were a kid growing up playing in sports leagues. Think how different you’d be today if you didn’t have those opportunities.’

“I talk to the friends I grew up with, and I say, ‘You remember when we played baseball or football. They cherish those moments. And that’s what we’re trying to provide to these kids — just some memories of something they did in their childhood that they can look back on fondly.”

Barton is adamant that the Miracle League’s success is directly tied to ProMedica’s ongoing support.

“ProMedica has been a great supporter of the Miracle League. I approached them in 2007. When we initially met with them, I had no money. I had no major sponsors,” Barton said. “I was just some guy trying to get this field built. But I knew I had to get some major supporters involved, and ProMedica took a risk with us.

“When we got ProMedica’s support, things just seemed to fall into place. When they came on board with us, it gave us the legitimacy that we needed. They’ve been so great to work with, and we’re lucky to have them.”

ProMedica officials reported that the “Take Me Out to the Ball Park” event raised about $90,000 through sponsorships, ticket purchases, silent and live auction proceeds and vendor community partnerships. The foundation’s board of directors will meet in late May to decide how much money ProMedica will donate to the Miracle League.

Princely visitors: Tigers to play Mud Hens in exhibition for charity

For the first time since 2000, the Detroit Tigers are coming to Toledo.

The Mud Hens will host Detroit in an exhibition game at noon April 4 at Fifth Third Field with proceeds set to go to charity. Half will go to the Detroit Tigers Foundation and the other half to the Helping Hens Charitable Fund.

The meeting will mark the first exhibition game between the Tigers and Mud Hens since they played at Ned Skeldon Stadium in Maumee on June 1, 2000. The game is scheduled to be broadcast on FOX Sports Detroit.

Such exhibition games between a parent club and its affiliate team are rare, said Tigers’ director of minor league operations Dan Lunetta.

“These types of games are a rarity anymore; clubs now oftentimes go to a major league venue to conclude the spring training portion of the schedule,” Lunetta said. “It’s not a common occurrence.”

Although the practice of minor league teams hosting their major league affiliate has become uncommon, it was not always that way.

In fact, as part of the affiliation agreement between Major League Baseball and its minor leagues, the parent company used to be required to play its Triple-A club in an exhibition or pay the club $10,000. Around 2000, however, that rule was negotiated out of the agreement and the game became optional, leading to the 12-year hiatus since the Tigers have been to Toledo.

“Over the years, [Tigers general manager] Dave Dombrowski, Dan Lunetta and I have always had conversations about the possibility,” said Mud Hens President and General Manager Joe Napoli.? “The Tigers are kind of in a tough spot because everyone would love to host a Tigers exhibition game, including other communities, Double-A, Single-A and rookie ball clubs. All those cities would love to have them, too.”

In order to bring the Tigers to town, Napoli made an offer they couldn’t refuse. He suggested Toledo host the game and the teams could split the proceeds between their respective charities.

“That was the deal-maker,” Lunetta said. “Even absent of that, we most likely would have still scheduled the game, but when Joe made that proposal to us, that really allowed us to say, ‘Let’s play the game this year.’ What a wonderful thing to do for the charitable organizations that will benefit from the game.”

“They got back to us and said they loved the idea,” Napoli said. “That’s the notion that persuaded the Tigers to consider it and we can’t be more thankful. The Toledo community has responded in outstanding fashion, as they always do, so we are going to have a huge crowd and as a result over time there will be many charitable organizations that will benefit from the net proceeds.”

The exhibition game is set for the day before Detroit’s season-opener at home at 1 p.m. April 5 against the Boston Red Sox. The Tigers will travel to Toledo by bus and will take batting practice prior to the game, which will be open to the public.

That type of exposure to Detroit’s fans in Toledo is exactly what Lunetta and the Tigers are looking to bring.

“When you have your Triple-A club located so close to your major league club, there is going to be a natural strong fan base because of the close proximity,” Lunetta said. “At least now with the exhibition game, it gives the fans the opportunity to see the club live in a one-time game.”

The game will also give some fans the opportunity to see players they once watched play in a Mud Hens uniform.

“There’s no question there are going to be guys that played for Toledo that most likely will never see Toledo again,” Lunetta said. “I’m sure it presents some nice memories for them.”

Another connection is Tigers manager Jim Leyland, a native of Perrysburg. Leyland’s son, Patrick, was drafted by the Tigers in 2010.

The Tigers and Mud Hens have the fifth-longest affiliation between a major league team and its Triple-A affiliate, behind the Atlanta Braves/Gwinnett Braves (1966), Kansas City Royals/Omaha Storm Chasers (1969), Boston Red Sox/Pawtucket Red Sox (1973) and Chicago Cubs/Iowa Cubs (1981). The Tigers and Mud Hens joined forces in 1987.

“We have a tremendous long-standing relationship with the Toledo Mud Hens,” said Tigers President, CEO and General Manager David Dombrowski in a news release. “This exhibition game gives Mud Hens fans an opportunity to see the Tigers at Fifth Third Field, which is one of the finest ballparks in all of minor league baseball.”

With it having been 12 years since the Tigers last came to Toledo and no word when the next meeting between the two squads might be, Tigers fans who want to see their team play at Fifth Third Field may be waiting a while if they cannot get tickets to this year’s game.

“There are no guarantees this will happen again,” Napoli said. “The Tigers were gracious enough to do it and we as a community are lucky enough to have the timing work out where they have a fantastic team. We are talking about arguably three of the top 10 players in the game being on the Tigers with Prince Fielder, [Miguel] Cabrera and [Justin] Verlander. How often does that happen? We are incredibly excited.”

Season ticket holders were given the first opportunity to purchase tickets before about 1,000 tickets were offered to the general public on Jan. 7, selling out within 15 minutes, said Erik Ibsen, assistant general manager of tickets and operations. A limited number of standing-room only tickets, which went on sale starting March 3, are left for the game, he said.

The Mud Hens will follow up the game with its home opener on April 6 against Indianapolis at 5 p.m., kicking off a three-game weekend series with the Indians.